Student to Student

Study TESOL in the Arabian Gulf

By Ahmad Al-Issa and Laila Dahan

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) in the United Arab Emirates recently established a program for students pursing an MA in TESOL, or seeking a program abroad in this field. The AUS program has used the best TESOL programs available in the U.S. as a rubric and therefore meets the requirements of most any MA TESOL program being offered in the U.S. today. It is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education and U.S. accreditation is expected in summer 2004. It is the first such program in the Gulf region.

The AUS is the most highly respected institution of its kind in the region, with faculty and staff representing over 65 countries and students from even more backgrounds. The beautiful university campus houses several other institutions of higher education and several residence halls on campus. Graduate students in the TESOL program are surrounded by colleagues from a variety of backgrounds, nations, and teaching experiences.

• Coordinator of the MA TESOL Program, Dr. Fatima Badry; badry@aus.ac.ae.

• TESOL Web Site: www.ausharjah.edu/catalog/2004/grad_cd.php?school=CAS&area=TESOL

• Office of Admissions, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666 Sharjah, U.A.E.; Tel. 971-6-515-1000, fax 971-6-558-5018; admission@ausharjah.edu, www.ausharjah.edu.

DR. AHMAD AL-ISSA is an Assistant Professor of English and Linguistics and a founding faculty member of the TESOL program at AUS. American Univ. of Sharjah, Department of English & Translation Studies,P. O. Box 26666, Sharjah, U.A.E; 971-6-515-2723; aissa@aus.ac.ae.

LAILA S. DAHAN is the college manager of the College of Arts and Sciences at AUS and also an MA TESOL student at AUS. American Univ. of Sharjah College of Arts and Science, P. O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 971-6-515-2404; ldahan@aus.ac.ae. Both authors have lived in the UAE for the past six years.